Sponsors (27)
The bill keeps FAA operations and airport grant funding functioning through short appropriations lapses to avoid service disruptions, but it does so by drawing on trust fund balances and using short-term accounting that can reduce congressional oversight and risk delaying future projects.
Travelers and aviation workers keep air-traffic control and essential airport services running during a funding lapse, avoiding immediate service disruptions and safety risks.
State and local governments and airport operators continue to receive airport grant and facilities funding at prior-year rates, preserving planned projects, contracts, and local employment.
The temporary authority to operate during a lapse is limited to 30 days (unless appropriations are enacted), reducing the chance of prolonged executive bypass of the appropriations process and lowering long-term budget uncertainty for taxpayers.
Using Airport and Airway Trust Fund balances to keep programs running during a lapse could deplete funds set aside for future airport projects, delaying or reducing planned investments at state and local levels.
Temporarily charging expenditures to prior-year accounts during a lapse can limit congressional oversight and review of new priorities or changes implemented in that period.
If the temporary authority remains in effect at fiscal year-end, it could create a carryover of funding that circumvents normal annual appropriations timing and oversight, affecting Congress's control over budgeting.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows the FAA to continue programs using AATF money at prior-year rates for up to 30 days during an appropriations lapse, charging accounts once new funding is enacted.
Allows the FAA to keep key aviation programs, projects, and activities running using Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) resources when regular appropriations or a continuing resolution are not yet in effect at the start of a fiscal year. Funding is limited to prior-year rates, is available only from the lapse date until the earlier of enactment of new funding or 30 days, remains subject to prior-year terms, and expenditures are charged to the appropriate accounts once regular appropriations are passed.
Introduced September 18, 2025 by Aaron Bean · Last progress September 18, 2025